By Lucy Lazarony
For Wild, opening Thursday at Old School Square’s Cornell Art Museum in Delray Beach, the inspiration is the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
The 12 internationally recognized artists chosen for the exhibit, which runs through April 17, were invited by curator Melanie Johanson because of “their respect for nature, their fascination with animals and their attention to the beauty of this natural world.”
Also featured in Wild are works by more than 20 artists from the Plein Air Palm Beach group who have captured the beauty of South Florida’s lush landscapes.
The idea for an exhibit celebrating nature came to Johanson after viewing the artwork and philanthropy of New Orleans-based artist Alex Beard.
“I thought it was amazing that one man could honestly make a difference in the world through use of his artwork,” Johanson says. “I find it inspiring to think that if everyone used their talents to support a cause, great or small, what a huge difference could be made.”
A portion of proceeds from the sale of artwork in Wild goes to Beard’s The Watering Hole Foundation, www.wateringholefoundation.org, which is dedicated to saving endangered wildlife and preserving the earth’s remaining wilderness.
Drawing the Line, a documentary chronicling Beard’s efforts to protect the wild African elephant in northern Kenya, will be shown Wednesday in Old School Square’s Crest Theatre.
Admission is $5 and the evening also includes an artist talk by Beard and a preview showing of Wild ahead of its Thursday opening. The documentary begins at 6 p.m..
“He really does respect animals and genuinely wants to help them,” Johanson says.
As for Beard’s artwork, “He kind of created his own category: abstract naturalism,” Johanson explains. “Not only are animals celebrated but the places of the natural world.
“He painted a few new pieces for this show, which I think is cool. I love when artists do that, because it’s so exciting.”
Other artists featured in Wild include Diane Arrieta, Ellen Jewett, Elizabeth Jordan, Ernesto Kunde, Caitlin McCormack, Magnus Sebastian, Ronald Shaw, Jonathan Stein, Chad Steve, Carlton Scott Sturgill and Karla Walter.
Sculptor Elizabeth Jordan, uses a lot of found wood in her work, crafting bird wings from found wood in Bird.
Arrieta and Jewett have science as well as art backgrounds. Diane Arrieta works as the art and science outreach coordinator at Jupiter library at Florida Atlantic University.
“Her work all has an environmental message, and I included her in the show because her work speaks for conservation and protection of wildlife, which is the message of the show,” Johanson says.
Arrieta’s works in Wild include Little Deer and My Kingdom Ain’t So Magic.
Ellen Jewett, born in Markham, Ontario, and “raised among newts and snails,” worked as a medical illustrator and has post-secondary degrees in anthropology and fine art.
Her aptly titled Strange and Gentle is a colorful and surrealistic sculpture of a squid.
“It’s supposed to be a squid and there’s almost feathers or leaves or wines or flowers growing,” Johanson says. “She kind of combines the animal (with) where they may live and the things that around the animal.”
And because her sculptures are surrealistic as well, “There’s always something deeper going on that the viewer has to try to understand,” Johanson explains.
Works from Palm Beach artist Karla Walter include Navigator Vulture.
“That vulture is a ceramic piece and it has Swarovski crystals on its head. It’s a stunning, stunning piece,” Johanson says.
Walter, who works from a kiln behind her house in Palm Beach, has a “fascination with crows” and there will be a piece in Wild of three crows flying around the nest.
Ernesto Kunde’s artwork shows “the mangroves of Florida in a stylized way — almost making them into pop pieces. I’m very drawn to his colors,” Johanson says.
Brooklyn-based artist Jonathan Stein creates photo mosaic pieces from photos he takes of flowers and sunsets.
Museum hours at the Cornell Art Museum are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 pm. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. The museum is located on the campus of Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., in downtown Delray Beach.